Alice in Wonderland and the World Trade Centre Disaster
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House of cards
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processes that information on sophisticated computer systems to support critical NORAD and US Space Command missions. The Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center provides warning of ballistic missile or air attacks against North America, assists the air sovereignty mission for the United States and Canada, and, if necessary, is the focal point for air defense operations to counter enemy bombers or cruise missiles. "In support of the US Space Command mission, the Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center provides a day-to-day picture of precisely what is in space and where it is l ocated. The Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center also supports space operations, providing critical information such as collision avoidance data for space shuttle flights and troubleshooting satellite interference problems. Since the Persian Gulf War, the Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center has continued to play a vital and expanding role i n supporting our deployed forces with warning for short-range ballistic missiles such as the Iraqi Scuds. Cheyenne Mountain operations are conducted by six centers manned 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The centers are: Command Center, Air Defense Operations Center, Missile Warning Center, Space Control Center, Combined I ntelligence Watch Center, and the Systems Center." And it goes on: "The Command Center is the heart of operations in Cheyenne Mountain. In this center, the Command Director and his crew serve as the NORAD and US Space Command Commander in Chief's direct representatives for monitoring, processing, and i nterpreting missile, space or air events which could have operational impacts on our forces or capabilities, or could be potential threats to North America or US and allied forces overseas. The Command Center is linked directly to the National Command Authorities of both the US and Canada as well as to regional command centers overseas. When required, the Command Director must consult directly with the NORAD and US Space Command Commander in Chief for time-critical assessments of missile, air, and space events; he takes action to ensure the Commander in Chief's response and direction are properly conveyed and executed ... .. The Air Defense Operations Center provides command and control for the air surveillance and air defense network for North America. In 1994, they monitored over 700 'unknown' radar tracks entering North American airspace. Many of these were subsequently identified as friendly aircraft that had erred from flight plans or used i mproper procedures. Yet nearly 100 were identified as illegal drug-carrying aircraft that were subsequently prosecuted by the US and Canadian Drug Enforcement Agencies." 8 The technology located within Cheyenne Mountain is the state of the state of the state of the art. Its website explains how the Missile Warning Center employs a "worldwide sensor and communications network to provide warning of missile attacks, either long or short range, launched against North America or our forces overseas". So much so that its technology provides information "regarding missile